For the first time in EHS history, the Ethics Bowl’s Orange team will advance to nationals.

After sweeping the divisional round with a score of 3-0, the team will travel to North Carolina and face 24 teams this April.

Teammates Izzy Robinson (junior), Sami McKenney (senior), Veda Kommineni (senior), Logan Szymanski (junior), Caroline James (senior) and alternate Josh Koester (sophomore) met with Coach Kirk Schlueter for their virtual competition on Tuesday, where they faced Charles Sumner Academy in a winner-takes-all match.

James said the team was on high alert as they went into the divisional round, but they were confident they would come out on top.

“The atmosphere was both nerve wracking, exciting and weirdly calm,” she said. “We knew going into the match that we had prepared ourselves extremely well and we knew we worked well as a team.”

James said the team was determined to stay focused and not let anything distract them.

Vice-Captain McKenney said the experience was “intimate,” ensuring the entire team would remain “locked-in” on the final round.

“It was just team orange in the competition room with all our desks liked up next to each other and all our computers in front of us,” she said.

McKenney added that they had turned off the big classroom lights to cast a calming yellow hue over the team. She said there were positive messages displayed on the Promethean board ahead of their desks to enhance the relaxed energy of the competition room.

When the orange team found out they won and would go to nationals, the room erupted in screams and cheers, according to Kommineni.

“Everyone on the team gasped and screamed as soon as we heard we’d won, and the other room of spectators was jumping up and down,” she said. “We were shocked, especially because the other team did such a good job.”

Kommineni said since last year, the team has undergone much growth and regularly challenge themselves to alter their perspective. The team believes they owe that to Coach Schlueter, who prepared them so well for each match.

“Mr. Schlueter became the head coach, and he has a competitive and encouraging nature,” Kommineni said. “He really provided us with so many different perspectives to think about.”

James was thankful that Coach Schlueter put in so much effort into a great season for Ethics Bowl, especially after the team lost one of their teacher-sponsors last year.

“Despite being incredibly busy, [Mr. Schlueter] poured every ounce of energy he had into the team, and it truly showed,” she said.

As Team Orange looks to nationals and beyond, they are determined to keep up their drive, but also to keep their cool and be happy for making it this far, regardless of if they win.

Captain Robinson said the team just wants to have fun and enjoy being the first EHS Ethics Bowl team to make it to nationals.

“Mr. Schlueter always says that only one team can win, and while we want to be that team, we recognize that there are so many talented teams out there and that even if we don’t win, it’s still an honor to go and it’s still going to be so much fun,” Robinson said.

Robinson said the National case set will come out next week, and the team will get back to their regular practice schedule.

McKenney says it’s the positivity from the group that has carried the team so far and will continue to work for Team Orange.

“To use Mr. Schlueter’s words, anything else from here on out is ‘house money,’” McKenney said. “We did what we wanted to do. We’re going to nationals.”